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Pathophysiology of Acute Pancreatitis

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Pancreatic Disease

Abstract

It is generally agreed that the main aetiological factors of pancreatitis are bile tract disease and alcoholism. Despite much experimental work the mechanism by which these factors induce pancreatitis is still obscure. The time-honoured concept is that the fundamental cause of the pathological changes in acute pancreatitis is autodigestion of the organ, mediated by the pancreatic enzymes (Chiari 1886). Though this proposal is still generally accepted, our knowledge of acute pancreatitis is today still far from complete and no unanimity has been achieved concerning the enzymatic processes leading to the typical anatomical and pathophysiological alterations. Nor has agreement been attained on the mechanism of the intrapancreatic activation of enzymes.

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Authors
  1. K. Ohlsson
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  2. S. Genell
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, University Surgical Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, SO1 6HU, Southampton, UK

    C. D. Johnson MChir, FRCS (Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Surgeon) (Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Surgeon)

  2. Surgical Unit, Royal Infirmary, G4 OSF, Glasgow, UK

    C. W. Imrie ChB, FRCS (Consultant Surgeon) (Consultant Surgeon)

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Ohlsson, K., Genell, S. (1991). Pathophysiology of Acute Pancreatitis. In: Johnson, C.D., Imrie, C.W. (eds) Pancreatic Disease. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3356-8_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3356-8_20

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